Book 41, 2023

[chez_jae]

Cat Got Your Cash by Julie Chase

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I finished my work book today--at work, even! It was Cat Got Your Cash by Julie Chase, and it's the second in the "Kitty Couture" mystery series. The main character is Lacy Crocker, who makes fashion for pets.

Lacy is making a name for herself with her line of costumes for pets, and when one of her favorite fashion designers suggests meeting to discuss a companion line, Lacy is over the moon. However, when she arrives at Annie Lane's home, she finds the fashionista dead in her kitchen. In the resulting hoopla, Lacy takes charge of Annie's two Siamese cats only to find out later that they are the beneficiaries of a hefty trust. Lacy is soon at the epicenter of catnappings, break-ins, stalkers, and social events. In the meantime, she embroils herself in the murder investigation, convinced that the cats are the key to solving it, and determined to get justice for her idol. On top of that, Lacy is trying to run her shop, create costumes for pets in the upcoming Thanksgiving parade in NOLA, dodge her mother's match-making attempts, and juggle her attraction to two eligible bachelors. All in a day's work.

This was a shade on the creepy side for a cozy, what with a man who kept showing up in Lacy's vicinity wearing a costume cat head, and the phone calls she received that played an eerie song. I enjoyed the story; the characters were portrayed well. Certain plot points didn't make much sense, such as why the cat-man was harassing her and why the eventual perpetrator was calling Lacy and playing the spooky song. I was also confused with the author's continued use of the word 'kittens' to describe the Siamese. They were cats. While many of us call our cats "kitties", I don't think anyone refers to them as 'kittens' once they're grown. There was also mention of stallions pulling carriages around NOLA, and I was like, "No." Stallions are too high-strung for that. Also, when Bachelor No. 1 spent the night at Lacy's (on the couch, for protection), it was first mentioned that he'd left at dawn, and then not long after, 'Jack was still at my place'. Did he leave or not? While on the topic of Bachelor No. 1, I dislike it when our mc has two (or more!) potential romantic interests. That's purely subjective, of course, but it confuses and annoys me. Finally, this book contained spoilers for the first in the series, which I haven't read. I wish the author would have simply alluded to certain plot points, rather than blithely putting them out there. Never assume your readers have read everything!

Favorite lines:
♦ "Would you like your coffee in the blue mug or your lap?"
♦ "I'm going to serve you up a hot Louisiana butt whooping."
♦ "Honey, men are daft, clueless creatures, bless their hearts. They aren't intuitive. They need things explained, and even then they confuse easily."
♦ We'd spent a few days licking wounds, and I'd eaten my weight in Ben & Jerry's, but we came out on top. Chins up. Shoulders back. Tails high.

Despite my nitpicking, I did like this story and would read more in the series. Four stars.


1. Does the mc work at/as one of the following: baker/bakery/sweet shop/tea shop/coffee shop, library/librarian, antique/vintage shop, book store, fashion/boutique, bed & breakfast? Yes, she owns a fashion boutique.
2. Does the mc live at her (or his) place of occupation? No, she does not
3. Is the love interest involved in law enforcement? (Police officer, sheriff, detective, PI, FBI) Yes, one of them is, and he seems to be in the lead.
4. Does the mc have a dog/cat as a pet? Yes, has a cat
5. Is the mc's BFF either a gay guy or a ditzy/zany woman? No
6. Did the mc find the body? Yes, she did
7. Did the mc wind up in mortal danger at the end of the book? Yes, she did
8. Is the mc's mother either: dead, absent, far removed, ditzy and dithering, or overbearing/disapproving/meddling? Yes, her mother is disapproving and overbearing
9. If mother is dead/absent, does the mc have another mother-figure (grandmother, aunt, mom's friend, or an older friend)? NA
10. Is the mc child-free? (Either no children or else grown children--i.e. no small children to look after) Yes, she's child-free